Arkansas 2011
Individual Income Tax
Forms and Instructions
Short Booklet
Full Year Resident Only
Governor Mike Beebe
Arkansas
e
file
Free File Alliance:
As a member of the “Free File Alliance”, the
State of Arkansas is able to offer certain
tax-payers the opportunity to electronically file their
return with no fee. If you meet certain criteria
(including income, military service, or eligibility
for federal Earned Income Tax Credit) you may
be eligible for this program.
Go to
www.arkansas.gov/efile for details.
For your questions/comments:
Manager, Individual Income Tax
P. O. Box 3628
Little Rock, AR 72203
Using e-file will allow you to:
Join over 878,000 who e-filed last year.
Get a confirmation proving you filed.
Receive a refund in less than 10 days.
Choose direct deposit option for faster
refund and additional security.
Other E-Services available for all
filers:
Online refund inquiry 24/7 to avoid
time consuming phone calls
Pay tax by credit card
See page 6 of the booklet for details
Tax Year 2012:
Since increasing numbers of taxpayers are
electronically filing their tax returns and do not
need booklets, beginning next year, to
con-serve paper and mailing costs Individual
In-come Tax booklets will not be mailed.
To obtain a booklet you may:
1. Visit your local revenue office or
2. Visit your local library or
TAX HELP AND FORMS
Internet
You can access the Department of Finance and
Administra-tion’s website at:
www.arkansas.gov/dfa
Check the status of your refund
Download current and prior year forms and
instructions
Access latest income tax news and archived news
Get e-file information
You can e-mail questions to:
individual.income@dfa.arkansas.gov
Choose the appropriate address below to mail your return:
TAX DUE RETURN:
Arkansas State Income Tax
P.O. Box 2144
Little Rock, AR 72203-2144
REFUND RETURN:
Arkansas State Income Tax
P.O. Box 1000
Little Rock, AR 72203-1000
NO TAX DUE RETURN:
Arkansas State Income Tax
P.O. Box 8026
Little Rock, AR 72203-8026
Be sure to apply sufficient postage or your return will not be
delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
Phone
Individual Income Tax Hotline ... (501) 682-1100
or (800) 882-9275
Representatives are available to assist callers at the numbers
above during normal business hours (Monday through Friday
from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) with:
Taxpayer Assistance
Notices Received
Forms
Amended Returns
Audit and Examination Payment Information
(For Hearing Impaired Access call (501) 682-4795 using a
Text Telephone Device.)
Other Useful Phone Numbers:
Estimated Tax ... (501) 682-1100
Withholding Tax ... (501) 682-7290
Collections ... (501) 682-5000
Revenue Legal Counsel ... (501) 682-7030
Corporate Income Tax ... (501) 682-4775
Sales and Use Tax ... (501) 682-7924
Office of Problem Resolution and ... (501) 682-7751
Tax Information Office (Offers In Compromise)
Internal Revenue Service ... (800) 829-1040
Social Security Administration ... (800) 772-1213
Walk-In
Representatives are available to assist walk-in taxpayers
with income tax questions, but are not available to prepare
your return.
No appointment is necessary, but plan to arrive before 4:00
p.m. to allow sufficient time for assistance.
The Individual Income Tax Office is located in Room 2300,
Ledbetter Building, at 1816 W. 7th Street in Little Rock.
Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to
4:30 p.m.
ATAP
Arkansas Taxpayer Access Point (ATAP) allows taxpayers or their
representatives to log on to a secure site and manage their
ac-count online.
You can access ATAP at www.atap.arkansas.gov. Some features
are listed below:
Make name and address changes
View account letters
Make payments
Check refund status
(Registration is not required to make payments or to check
refund status.)
Forms
Access our website at:
www.arkansas.gov/incometax
Call the Individual Income Tax Hotline
(see “Phone”)
CONTENTS
Access to Tax Help and Forms ... 2
Who Can Use the Short Form ... 4
Special Information for 2011 ... 5
Frequently Asked Questions ... 5
In Case the IRS Audits You... 5
Electronic Filing Information ... 6
Other E-Services ... 6
Consumer Use Form ... 7
Instructions (general information) ... 8-10
Instructions (line by line) ... 11-13
Low Income Tax Tables ... 14-15
Regular Tax Table ... 16-18
Forms Inserts
AR1000S
AR1000-CO
Voter Registration
WHO CAN USE THE SHORT FORM
There are three types of income tax returns for individuals. Form AR1000NR is used by nonresidents and part-year residents.
Form AR1000F and Form AR1000S are used only by full-year residents. All full-year residents may use Form AR1000F; however,
if you qualify, you will save time by using Form AR1000S. (Some people must use Form AR1000F as explained
below.)
YOU CAN USE THE SHORT FORM (AR1000S) IF:
YOU ARE:
– Single
– Married
– Head of Household
– Married Filing Separately on the Same Return or
– Qualifying Widow(er)
AND:
– You are a full-year Arkansas resident, and
– Your income is only from wages, salaries, tips, interest, dividends, and miscellaneous income, and
– You do not itemize your deductions, and
– Your only credits are:
a) Personal Tax Credits (except for an individual with developmental disabilities) and
b) Child and Dependent Care Expenses or Early Childhood Program Credits.
YOU CANNOT USE THE SHORT FORM (AR1000S) AND MUST USE THE
LONG FORM (AR1000F) IF:
– You file as Married Filing Separately on Different Returns (Filing Status 5).
– You had income other than wages, salaries, tips, interest, dividends, and/or miscellaneous income (such as pension or
an-nuity income, gain from the sale of property, barter income, alimony, or self employment income, including farm income).
– You claim an exemption for military compensation.
– You claim an exemption for employment-related pension plan(s), qualified IRA(s), and/or military retirement.
– You are a minister claiming a housing allowance.
– You file federal Schedules C or C-EZ, D, E, and/or F.
– You file federal Form 2555, Foreign Earned Income.
– You must pay tax on an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and file federal Form 5329, Additional Taxes on Qualified
Plans and Other Tax-Favored Accounts.
– You claim adjustments to gross income for the border city exemption, payments to an IRA, MSA, HSA, SEP, SIMPLE or
Keogh plan, interest paid on student loans, contributions to an intergenerational trust, moving expenses, self-employed
health insurance, forfeited interest penalty for premature withdrawal, alimony paid, an individual with permanent disabilities,
organ donation, and/or for contributions to an Arkansas tax-deferred tuition savings plan.
– You have capital gain or loss income in 2011.
– You itemize your deductions.
– You file Form AR1000TD, Tax on Lump Sum Distributions.
– You claim any of the following credits against your tax:
a) Other State(s) Tax Credit
b) State Political Contributions Credit
c) Adoption Expense Credit
d) Phenylketonuria Disorder Credit
e) Business Incentive Tax Credit(s), or
f) Credit for Individuals with Disabilities.
– You made estimated tax payments.
– You file Form AR2210, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, or
– You apply any part of your 2011 refund to your estimated taxes for 2012.
Amended Returns
Beginning with tax year 2010, to amend their original returns taxpayers simply check the “AMENDED RETURN” box on Form AR1000S, and then complete the return using their corrected information. No separate amended return form is necessary. See page 10 for instructions. (For tax years 2009 and prior, amended forms are available at www.arkansas.gov/incometax.)
Low Income Tax Relief Tables (Act 736 of 2011)
This act expands the low income tax table to include certain taxpayers filing as Head of Household or Qualifying Widow or Widower. See Low Income Tax Tables on pages 14 and 15 to determine eligibility. Tables are updated annually for cost of living adjustments.
New Set Off Added (Act 815 of 2011)
Authorizes a set off against an Arkansas income tax refund for a debt owed to the Arkansas Department of Health. Effective July 27, 2011.
Vouchers
All payments must now be accompanied by an appropriate payment voucher,
including payments made with returns. Failure to send a voucher
with a payment will cause delayed processing of the payment, which could result in a billing notice being sent. See instructions for line 29.
ATAP
Arkansas Taxpayer Access Point (ATAP) allows taxpayers or their represen-tatives to log on to a secure site and manage all of their tax accounts online. ATAP allows taxpayers to make name and address changes, view letters on their accounts, make payments and check refund status. (Registration with ATAP is not required to make payments or check refund status.) Go to www.arkansas.gov/incometax for more information.
SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR 2011
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
TOPICS:
FILING REQUIREMENTS Who must file
Which form - AR1000F, AR1000NR, AR1000S When, where and how to file
Which filing status Dependents defined Amended returns INCOME DEFINITIONS
Wages, salaries and tips Interest received Dividends received Nontaxable income TAX COMPUTATION
Choosing the correct table Standard deduction Tax credits, general Child care credit
TOPICS:
GENERAL INFORMATION Substitute tax forms Refunds - how long to wait
How to request copies of tax returns Extensions of time to file
Penalty for underpayment of estimated tax W-2 forms - what to do if not received NOTICES AND LETTERS
Taxpayer Bill of Rights Billing procedures
Penalty and interest charges Collection procedures ELECTRONIC FILING
Arkansas electronic filing program
You may get additional information on the following topics by accessing our website at:
www.arkansas.gov/incometax
IF THE IRS AUDITS YOU
If the Internal Revenue Service examines your return for any tax year and changes your net taxable income, you must report the changes to the Arkansas De-partment of Finance and Administration within ninety (90) days from the receipt of the notice and demand for payment by the Internal Revenue Service. File an Amended Individual Income Tax Return, for the year(s) involved reporting the changes to your state return. Attach a copy of the federal
changes.
If you fail to notify this Department within ninety (90) days and do not file the required amended return, the Statue of Limitations will remain open for eight (8) years on the year(s) in question. Additional interest will be figured on any tax you owe the State of Arkansas.
Online
From
Home
Dir
ect
Deposit
Option!
www.officialpayments.com
or call (800) 272-9829
Paid
Prepar
er
ELECTRONIC FILING
www.arkansas.gov/efile
E-file is hassle-free
both your federal and Arkansas income tax returns are
filed electronically in one transmission.
E-file is smart
computer programs catch 98% of tax return errors.
E-file is worry-free
receive acknowledgement within 2 to 3 business days if
your return has been received and accepted.
E-file gets your money to you fast
refunds are issued within 10 days after
you receive state acknowledgement.
Arkansas participates in the Federal/State Electronic Filing Program for
Individual Income Tax. The program is available to most full year residents
and certain qualifying nonresidents and part year residents.
Since Arkansas is a member of the
“Free File Alliance,”
depending
on the level of income, taxpayers may qualify to file returns for free.
(Go to
www.arkansas.gov/efile for details.)
Over 150,000 taxpayers took advantage of online filing last year.
The same advantages are obtained by online filing as by electronic
filing, but it does not require a preparer. For a nominal fee your
fed-eral and state returns can be prepared and filed electronically.
OTHER E-SERVICES
These services are available for all filers
(paper and electronic).
Available Now:
Arkansas Taxpayer Access Point (ATAP)
(See page 2 for more information)
Refund Inquiry
Pay by Credit Card
(vendor charges nominal fee)
If you purchased taxable merchandise outside the State of Arkansas for use, storage, consumption or distribution within the state, a state and local consumer use tax may be due on the purchase price, including transportation charges. Due to the rapid increase in purchases being made through mail order, telephone, and the internet, it has become a concern that individuals may not be aware of their obligation to report the consumer use tax on untaxed out of state purchases. Examples of merchandise subject to the consumer use tax include cassettes, CD’s, books, furniture, jewelry, food, and clothing.
The use tax is a companion tax to the sales tax whose purpose is to not only raise revenue for the state, but more importantly to protect local merchants, who must collect sales tax, from the unfair advantage of out of state sellers who do not collect Arkansas’s sales tax. The use tax has been in effect since 1949.
The use tax rate is the same as the sales tax rate, 6.00% for all transactions except food purchases which has a reduced rate of 2% plus the applicable city and/or county rates where the merchandise is delivered in the state. The tax applies to the purchase price of the merchandise plus any shipping and handling charges that the merchant adds to your bill. If the total tax due is greater than $100 per month, the use tax report should be filed on a monthly basis. If the total tax due is $25 - $100 per month, the use tax report should be filed on a quarterly basis. If the total tax due is less than $25 per month, the use tax report should be filed on an annual basis.
Line 1 Indicate the month and year you are reporting. (mm/yyyy)
Report all taxable purchases except food in Column A, food purchases are reported in Column B. Line 3 Fill in the County Rate where you reside (Column A and/or Column B)
Line 4 Fill in the City rate where you reside. (Column A and/or Column B) Line 5 Enter total rate - the sum of lines 2 through 4. (Column A and/or Column B)
Line 6 Enter total purchases (column A is for all items except food) (column B is for Food only) Line 7 Enter your total tax rate from line 5
Line 8 Multiply line 7 by line 6 and enter the product.
Line 9 Add lines 8A and 8B and enter the total. (This is the TOTAL tax to remit with this report.)
If you have questions or need additional forms, please call the Sales and Use Tax Office at (501) 682-7104. Forms are also available from our website.
1. Report Period ► ____________________
A
B
General State Reduced Food
Tax Tax
2. State Rate
6.000%
2.000%
3. County Rate
+
4. City Rate
+
5. Total Tax Rate
=
6. Purchases
$
7. Total Tax Rate
8. Total Tax
$
9. TOTAL Tax Due
$
Check here if this is an aviation purchase ►
(Attach a copy of the bill of sale)
City and county rate may be obtained from our website.
http://www.state.ar.us/salestax
or by calling (501) 682-7104
State of Arkansas
Department of Finance and Administration
Sales and Use Tax Section
P. O. Box 8054, Little Rock, AR 72203
Internet site: http://www.state.ar.us/salestax
(501) 682-7104
Purchaser(s):
Social Security Number: Home Address:
City/State/Zip:
County of Residence:
Individual Consumer Use Tax Report
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration
Sales and Use Tax Section
P. O. Box 8054, Little Rock, AR 72203
If you live outside the city limits check here ►
If you live in a city other than what is shown in your mailing
address above, please indicate that city here and use that tax
rate to compute your tax
Phone Number:
INSTRUCTIONS
THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR GUIDANCE ONLY AND DO NOT STATE THE COMPLETE LAW
B. WHEN TO FILE
You can file your original return any time after December 31, 2011, but NO LATER THAN April 17, 2012 (unless an extension has been granted).
If April 15 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the return is considered timely filed if it is postmarked on the next succeeding business day.
NOTE: The date of the postmark stamped by the U.S. Postal Service
is the date you filed your return.
C. PENALTIES & INTEREST
1. If you owe additional tax, you must mail your original tax return by April 17, 2012. Any return not postmarked by April 17, 2012 (unless you have a valid extension) will be considered delinquent. A penalty of one percent (1%) per month for failure to pay and five percent (5%) per month for failure to file, with a maximum of thirty-five percent (35%), will be assessed on the amount of tax due. Interest of ten percent (10%) per year will also be assessed on any additional tax due, calculated from the original due date to the date you filed your return.
An extension to file is not an extension to pay. If you have not paid the amount due by the original due date you will be subject to a failure to pay penalty of 1% per month of the unpaid balance.
2. In addition to any other penalties assessed, a penalty of $500 will be assessed if any taxpayer files what purports to be a return, but the return does not contain information on which the correct-ness of the return may be judged, and such conduct is due to a position which is frivolous, or an effort to delay or impede the administration of any State law.
3. If you owe additional tax in excess of $1,000, a penalty for failure to make a declaration of Estimated Tax and pay on any quarterly due date the equivalent of ninety percent (90%) of the amount actually due, or an amount equal to or greater than the tax liability of the preceding income tax year, a penalty of ten percent (10%) will be assessed.
D. DEATH OF TAXPAYER
An Arkansas tax return should be filed for a taxpayer who died during the tax year as if the taxpayer had lived the entire year. The word “DECEASED” should appear after his/her name along with the date of death.
NOTE: Any refund check issued to a deceased taxpayer will be made out to the estate of the deceased taxpayer, i.e. “Estate of John/Jane Doe”. To cash the check, the bank may require documentation such as death certificate, will, or power of attorney.
E. DEFINITIONS
1. DOMICILE
This is the place you intend to have as your permanent home, the place you intend to return to whenever you are away. You can have only one domicile. Your domicile does not change until you move to a new location and intend to make your permanent home there. If you move to a new location but intend to stay there only for a limited time (no matter how long), your domicile does not change. This also applies if you are working in a foreign country.
A. WHO MUST FILE A TAX RETURN
If your and your you must file if
MARITAL STATUS is: FILING STATUS is: GROSS INCOME* is at least:
Single (Including divorced Single $10,941
and legally separated)
Head of Household with 1 or no dependents $15,553 Head of Household with 2 or more dependents $18,540
Married Married Filing Joint:
with 1 or no dependent $18,449
with 2 or more dependents $22,203
Married Filing Separately $3,999
Widowed in 2009 or 2010, Qualifying Widow(er) with 1 or no dependents $15,553 and not remarried in 2011 Qualifying Widow(er) with 2 or more dependents $18,540
*Gross income is any and all income (before deductions) other than the kinds of income specifically described as ex-empt from tax on page 9 “Income Exex-empt from Tax.”
If your gross income was less than the amount shown in the last column for your filing status, you are not required to file a return. However, you must
file a return to claim any refund due.
2. FULL YEAR RESIDENT
You are a FULL YEAR RESIDENT if you lived in Arkansas all of tax year 2011, or if you have maintained a domicile or Home of Record in Arkansas during the tax year.
3. DEPENDENT
You may claim as a dependent any person who received over half of his or her support from you, earned less than $3,700 in gross income, and was your:
Child Stepchild Mother Father Grandparent Brother Sister Grandchild Stepbrother Stepsister Stepmother Stepfather Mother-In-Law Father-In-Law Brother-In-Law Sister-In-Law Son-In-Law Daughter-In-Law Or, if related by blood: Uncle, Aunt, Nephew, Niece Or, an individual (other than your spouse) who was a mem-ber of your household for the entire year.
The term “dependent” includes a foster child if the child had as his principle place of abode the home of the taxpayer and was a member of the taxpayer’s household for the taxpayer’s entire tax year.
The term “dependent” does not apply to anyone who was a citi-zen or subject of a foreign country UNLESS that person was a resident of Mexico or Canada.
If your child/stepchild was under age 19 at the end of the year, the $3,700 gross income limitation does not apply. Your child/stepchild may have had any amount of income and still be your dependent if the other dependency requirements are met. If your child/stepchild was a student, under age 24 at the end of the calendar year, the $3,700 gross income limitation does not apply. The other requirements in this section still must be met.
To qualify as a student, your child must have been a full-time student for five (5) months during the calendar year at a qualified school, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. A dependent who died during the year may be claimed as a dependent for the entire year.
Arkansas has adopted Internal Revenue Code §151(c)(6) regard-ing the tax treatment of kidnapped children.
4. GROSS INCOME
Gross income is any and all income (before deductions) other than the kinds of income specifically described as exempt from tax in the following section “Income Exempt from Tax.” Exception: The exemptions for military and retire-ment income as described in numbers 8 and 9 are includ-ed in gross income. However, if you use either of these exemptions you may not use this form; you must file on Form AR1000F/AR1000NR.
F. INCOME EXEMPT FROM TAX
1. Money you received from a life insurance policy because of death of the person who was insured is exempt from tax. NOTE: You must include as taxable income any interest payments
made to you from the insurance company that issued the policy.
2. Money you received from LIFE INSURANCE, an ENDOWMENT, or a PRIVATE ANNUITY CONTRACT for which you paid the premiums is allowed cost recovery pursuant to Internal Revenue Code §72.
3. Amounts you received as child support payments are exempt. 4. You do not pay taxes on a gift, inheritance, bequest or
devise. Scholarships, grants, and fellowships are taxed pursuant to Internal Revenue Code §117. Sti-pends are taxable in their entirety.
5. Interest you received from direct United States obligations, its possessions, the State of Arkansas, or any political subdivision of the State of Arkansas is exempt from tax. Obligations include bonds and other evidence of debt issued pursuant to a government unit’s borrowing power. (Interest due on tax refunds is not exempt income because it does not result from a debt issued by the United States, the State of Arkansas, or any political subdivision of the State of Arkansas.) Interest from government securities paid to individuals through a mutual fund is exempt from tax.
6. Social Security benefits, VA benefits, Worker’s Com-pensation, Unemployment ComCom-pensation, Railroad Retirement benefits, and related supplemental benefits are exempt from tax.
7. Proceeds from a disability insurance policy for which you paid the premiums are exempt from tax pursuant to Internal Revenue Code §104.
8. If you received U.S. military compensation, a portion of your gross income is exempt from tax.
9. If you received income from an employment related retirement plan, including disability retirement (premiums paid by your em-ployer), or if you received a qualified traditional IRA distribution, the
first $6,000, after cost recovery, is exempt from tax. The total exemption from all plans cannot exceed $6,000 per taxpayer.
G. IF YOU NEED MORE TIME TO FILE
A taxpayer who requests an extension of time to file his or her federal income tax return (by filing Federal Form 4868 with the IRS) shall be entitled to receive the same extension on the taxpayer’s corre-sponding Arkansas income tax return. In order to take advantage of the federal extension for state purposes, the taxpayer must check the box on the front of the Arkansas return indicating that the federal extension has been filed.The Department no longer requires that a copy of Federal Form 4868 be attached to the taxpayer’s state tax return as long as the box is checked on the front of the return. The federal automatic extension extends the deadline to file until October 15th.
NOTE: If the box on the front of the AR1000S is not checked, you
will not receive credit for your federal extension.
If you do not file a Federal Extension, you may file an Arkansas exten-sion using Form AR1055 before the filing due date of April 17th.
Send your request to:
Individual Income Tax Section ATTN: Extension
P.O. Box 3628
Little Rock, AR 72203-3628
NOTE: The maximum extension that will be granted on an AR1055
is one hundred and eighty (180) days extending the due date until October 15th.
Interest and Failure to Pay Penalty will be due if any tax due is not paid by April 17, 2012.
The date of the postmark stamped by the U.S. Postal Service is the date you filed your request for extension.
Check the box on AR1000S to indicate you have a state extension or your return will be considered delinquent and penalties will be assessed.
Inability to pay is not a valid reason to request an ex-tension.
H. HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR ARKANSAS
RETURN
STAPLE all required W-2 Form(s) to your return. Use only BLUE or BLACK ink, or type.
If you received your income tax booklet through the mail and there is a colored peel off label inside, use the label only if all the informa-tion on it is correct. If it is not correct or you do not have a label, enter the name and address of you and your spouse. You MUST enter your Social Security Number(s) on your return in the space provided, or your return cannot be processed and will be returned to you. Enter the telephone number for your home and your work.
NOTE: If you are married, filing on the same form, and using
differ-ent last names, you must separate the last names by use of a slash.
EXAMPLE: John Q. and Mary M. Doe/Smith or Mary M. and John Q. Smith/Doe
Be sure that the placement of the last name matches the placement of the first name. You must be legally married to file in this manner.
FILING AN AMENDED RETURN
If filing an amended return, check the box at the top right corner of Form AR1000S. Complete the return using the following instruc-tions, replacing the incorrect entries from your original return with the corrected entries. Attach an explanation and supporting forms and/or schedules for items changed. (Do not file an amended return until after your original return has been processed.)
Amended return needed:
• to make changes or adjustments to your original return
• if the IRS examines your federal return for any tax year and changes your net taxable income (required to file an Arkansas amended return within 90 days of notification)
Amended return not needed:
• to correct an address (you must provide a completed Individual Income Tax Account Change Form located on our website at www.arkansas.gov/incometax.)
• to correct a Social Security Number (Call (501) 682-1100 or write to Individual Income Tax Section, P.O. Box 3628, Little Rock, AR 72203. You may be asked to provide documenta-tion.)
• if you are notified by the Income Tax Section that there is an error on your original return
• if filing a federal amended return with no impact on your Arkansas income tax return
FILING STATUS
DETERMINE YOUR FILING STATUS
BOX 1 Filing Status 1 (Single)
Check this box if you are SINGLE or UNMARRIED and DO NOT qualify as Head of Household. (Read the section for “Box 3” to de-termine if you qualify for Head of Household.)
BOX 2 Filing Status 2 (Married Filing Joint)
Check this box if you are MARRIED and filing jointly. If you are filing a joint return, you must add both spouses’ incomes together. Enter the total amount in Column A on Line 8 through Line 11 under “Your Income.”
BOX 3 Filing Status 3 (Head of Household)
To claim Head of Household you must have been unmarried or legally separated on December 31, 2011 and meet either 1 or 2 below. 1. You paid over half the cost of keeping up a home for the entire
year that was the main home of your parent whom you can claim as a dependent. Your parent did not have to live with you in your home, or
2. You paid over half the cost of keeping a home in which you lived and in which one of the following also lived for more than six (6) months of the year (temporary absences such as vacation or school are counted as time lived in the home):
a. Your unmarried child, grandchild, great-grandchild, adopted child, or stepchild. (This child did not have to be your de-pendent, but your foster child must have been your depen-dent.)
b. Your married child, grandchild, adopted child, or stepchild. (This child must have been your dependent.)
Any taxpayer sixty-five (65) or over not claiming a retirement income ex-emption is eligible for an additional $23 (per taxpayer) tax credit. Check the box marked “65 Special” if this additional credit applies to you.
Check the box or boxes that apply to you and/or your spouse. You CANNOT claim any of these credits for your children or dependents. Blindness is defined as the inability to tell light from darkness, or eyesight in the better eye not exceeding 20/200 with corrective lens, or field of vision limited to an angle of 20 degrees.
You can claim the Deaf Credit only if the average loss in speech frequencies (500 to 2000 Hertz) in the better ear is 86 decibels, I.S.O., or worse.
Add the number of boxes you checked on Line 7A and write the total in the appropriate box. Multiply the number by $23 and enter result.
LINE 7B. List the names of your dependent(s), Social Security Number(s), and the relationship to you on this line. The people you can claim as dependents are described in SECTION E of these in-structions. (Attach schedule if more than 3 dependents.)
Multiply the number of dependents on Line 7B by $23 and enter result.
LINE 7C. Total the tax credits from Lines 7A and 7B and enter the total on this line and on Line 16.
INCOME
Round all figures to the nearest dollar amount. For example, if your W-2 shows $10,897.50, round to $10,898. If the amount on the W-2 is $10,897.49, round to $10,897.
LINE 8. Add the wages, salaries, tips, etc. listed on your W-2(s) and write the total on this line. Staple the state copy of each of your W-2(s) to the left margin of the front page of the return.
LINE 9. List interest and dividend income. If you had interest from bank deposits, notes, mortgages, corporation bonds, savings and loan association deposits, and/or credit union deposits, enter all interest received or credited to your account during the year. If the interest total is over $1,500, complete the schedule on page S2. List the name(s) of the payer(s) and the amount(s).
Enter amounts received as dividends and other distributions from stocks in any corporation. If the total is over $1,500, complete the schedule on page S2. List the name of the payer(s) and the amount(s).
LINE 10. If you had miscellaneous income, enter the total in the space provided. Attach a statement explaining the source and amount of the income. If the miscellaneous income requires the use of a federal schedule, you must file on Form AR1000F/AR1000NR.
LINE 11. Add Lines 8 through 10 and enter the total.
MARRIED PERSONS WHO LIVED APART
Even if you were not divorced or legally separated in 2011, you may be considered unmarried and can file as Head of Household. See Internal Revenue Service instructions for Head of Household to de-termine if you qualify.
MARRIED COUPLES READING THIS MAY SAVE
MONEY
If you and your spouse have separate incomes, you may want to calculate your taxes separately. Couples OFTEN SAVE MONEY by filing this way.
See the instructions for BOX 4, Filing Status 4. Your net result will be either a COMBINED REFUND or a COMBINED TAX DUE.
BOX 4 Filing Status 4 (Married Filing Separately
on Same Return)
Check this box if you were Married and are filing SEPARATELY ON THE SAME TAX RETURN. List your income separately under Column A (Your Income). List spouse’s income separately under Column B (Spouse’s Income). Calculate your tax separately and then add your taxes together on Line 15.
BOX 5 Filing Status 5 (Married Filing Separately
on Different Returns)
You cannot use the AR1000S form for Filing Status 5 (Married Filing
Separately on Different Returns). Use Form AR1000F/AR1000NR
for this filing status.
BOX 6 Filing Status 6 [Qualifying Widow(er)]
Check this box if you are a QUALIFYING WIDOW(ER).
You are eligible to file as a QUALIFYING WIDOW(ER) if your spouse died in 2009 or 2010 and you meet the following tests:
1. You were entitled to file MARRIED FILING JOINT or MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY ON THE SAME RETURN with your spouse for the year your spouse died. (It does not matter whether you actually filed using one of these statuses.)
2. You did not remarry before the end of the tax year.
3. You have a child, stepchild, adopted child, or foster child who qualified as your dependent for the year.
4. You paid more than half the cost of keeping up your home, which was the main home of that child for the entire year except for temporary absences.
PERSONAL TAX CREDITS
LINE 7A. You can claim additional Personal Tax Credits if you can answer “Yes” to any of these questions:
On January 1, 2012, were you 65 or over? On December 31, 2011, were you deaf? On December 31, 2011, were you blind?
PAYMENTS
Line 20. Arkansas State Income Tax withheld is listed on your W-2(s). (You have already paid this amount of tax during the year.) Write the total in the space provided. Attach State copy(s) of your W-2(s).
If you and your spouse are filing on the same return, add the Arkansas State Income Tax withheld on all W-2s and enter combined total in the space provided. Attach State copy(s) of your W-2(s).
WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE W-2(S)
If you did not receive (or lost) your W-2(s) and Arkansas tax was withheld from your income, you should take the following steps IN THE ORDER LISTED:
1. Ask your employer for copies of your W-2(s). If you cannot obtain them from your employer you should 2. Contact the Social Security Administration at
(800) 772-1213. Only if you cannot obtain your W-2(s) from SSA you may
3. Complete Federal Form 4852 and attach a copy of your final pay stub to support payments.
CAUTION: You WILL NOT receive credit for your tax withheld unless
you attach CORRECT AND LEGIBLE W-2(s) or other documentation to your tax return.
DO NOT include FICA, Federal Income Tax, or tax paid to another state on Line 20.
If your W-2 is incorrect, DO NOT correct it yourself. Your employer must issue you a corrected W-2.
LINE 21. Previous Payments: This line is for amended returns only. Enter the total of your previous payments made with your original return and/or billing notices and amended return(s).
LINE 22. Enter approved Early Childhood Credit equal to twenty percent (.20) of the Federal Child Care Credit (for individuals with a de-pendent child placed in an approved facility while the parent or guardian worked or sought gainful employment). An approved child care facility is one approved by the Arkansas Department of Education as having an appropriate Early Childhood Program as defined by Arkansas law. Enter the certification number and attach Federal Form 2441 and Certification Form AR1000EC. Contact your child care facility for Form AR1000EC.
LINE 23. Add Lines 20, 21 and 22 and enter the total. This is your Total Payments.
LINE 24. Previous Refunds: This line is for amended returns only. Enter the total of your previous refunds from your original return and amended return(s).
LINE 25. Subtract Line 24 form Line 23. This is your Adjusted Total Payments.
TAX COMPUTATION
LINE 12. SELECT TAX TABLEand check the appropriate box. You will be in one of the following categories:
1) You qualify for a Low Income Tax Table, or 2) You must use the Regular Tax Table
See tax tables and qualifications for each table on pages 14-18.
NOTE: If you qualify to use a Low Income Table, enter zero (0) on Line 12, then go to Line 13.
IF YOU DO NOT QUALIFY FOR LOW INCOME TABLE:
Enter the Standard Deduction as shown below for your filing status. (If the amount on Line 11 is less than the Standard Deduction, enter the amount from Line 11 on Line 12.)
Filing Status Standard Deduction 1 Single $2,000
2 Married Filing Joint $4,000 3 Head of Household $2,000 4 Married Filing Separately $2,000 each
on Same Return
6 Qualifying Widow(er) $2,000
NOTE: The $2,000 Standard Deduction does not apply to taxpayer’s
dependents.
LINE 13. Subtract Line 12 from Line 11 to determine your Taxable Income.
LINE 14. Using the appropriate tax table, locate the tax on your income and enter here.
LINE 15. Add Lines 14A and 14B together and enter the total.
TAX CREDITS
LINE 16. Enter the total personal tax credits from Line 7C.
LINE 17. The Child Care Credit allowed on the Arkansas return is TWENTY PERCENT (.20) of the amount taken on your federal return. A copy of “Credit for Child and Dependent Care Expenses,” Federal Form 2441 must be attached to your Arkansas return. If this credit is for the APPROVED Early Child-hood Credit, see instructions for Line 22.
LINE 18. Add Lines 16 and 17 and enter the total.
LINE 19. Subtract Line 18 from Line 15. This is your Net Tax. If Line 18 is greater than Line 15 enter zero (0).
NOTICE TO MARRIED TAXPAYERS
If only one of the married taxpayers owes the debt, the taxpayer who is not liable can avoid having his/her refund applied to the debt if both taxpayers file Status 5 (using Form AR1000F/AR1000NR).
LINE 29. If not enough tax was withheld, the amount on Line 19 will be larger than the amount on Line 25. Subtract Line 25 from Line 19 and enter the result. This is the Amount You Owe.
Complete Form AR1000V and attach with a check or money order to your return. (Form AR1000V is available at www.arkansas.gov/incometax.) Make your check payable in U.S. Dollars to: Department of Finance and Admin-istration. Write your Social Security Number, daytime phone number, and tax year on your check or money order. Mail on or before April 17, 2012. If the payment is for an amended return, mark the box yes on Form AR1000V for “Is Payment for an Amended Return”. Credit card payments may be made by calling 1-800-2PAY-TAXSM
(1-800-272-9829) or by visiting www.officialpayments.com and clicking on the “Payment Center” link. Credit card payments will be pro-cessed by Official Payments Corporation, a private credit card payment services provider. A convenience fee will be charged to your credit card for the use of this service. The State of Arkansas does not receive this fee. You will be informed of the exact amount of the fee before you complete your transaction. After you complete your transaction you will be given a confirmation number to keep with your records.
There is a penalty for not paying enough tax during the year. You may have to pay a penalty if:
The amount you owe (Line 29) is $1,000, or more, and
The amount of Arkansas income tax withheld (Line 20) is less than 90% of the amount of your net tax (Line 19).
You may choose to have income tax personnel calculate the penalty for you and send you a bill. However, if you want to calculate the penalty yourself, you cannot use the Short Form.
DO NOT FORGET TO SIGN AND DATE YOUR TAX
RETURN
Your tax return will not be legal and cannot be processed unless you SIGN IT. Write in the DATE. If you and your spouse are filing a joint return or filing separately on the same return, both of you must sign it. If someone prepares your return, that person must complete the Preparer Information section on the bottom of the form.
FIGURE YOUR
TAX DUE OR TAX REFUND
LINE 26. If Line 25 is greater than Line 19 you overpaid your tax. Write the difference on this line. This is your Overpayment.
LINE 27. If you wish to contribute a portion or all of your overpay-ment to one or more of the programs listed below, complete Sched-ule AR1000-CO and enter total amount of your donation. Attach Schedule AR1000-CO after page S2.
Area Agencies on Aging Program Arkansas Disaster Relief Program Arkansas Schools for the Blind and Deaf Arkansas Tax Deferred Tuition Savings Program Baby Sharon’s Children’s Catastrophic Illness Program Military Family Relief Program
Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Initiative Organ Donor’s Awareness Education Program U.S. Olympic Committee Program
THE AMOUNT ON LINE 27 WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THE AMOUNT ON LINE 26. Your net refund (if any) will be mailed to you.
LINE 28. Subtract Line 27 from Line 26 and enter on this line. This is your Refund.
The Director is allowed 90 days from the return due date or the date the return was filed, whichever occurs later, to refund an overpayment of tax without interest (Act 262 of 2005).
SETOFF REFUNDS
If you, your spouse, or your former spouse owes a debt to one of the agencies listed below and you have filed an Arkansas State Income Tax return, your refund is subject to being withheld to satisfy the debt. You may have all or part of your income tax refund withheld.
Any housing authority
Arkansas circuit, county, district, city courts Arkansas colleges, universities, technical institutes County tax collectors or treasurers
Department of Finance and Administration Department of Health
Department of Higher Education Department of Human Services Employee Benefits Division of DFA Internal Revenue Service
Office of Child Support Enforcement Office of Personnel Management of DFA
If your refund has been applied to a debt to one of these agencies, you will receive a letter reporting which agency has claimed all or part of your refund. If the debt has already been satisfied, it is the agency’s responsibility to refund any setoff amount paid to the agency in error. Contact the agency at the telephone number furnished to you on your “Adjustment Letter” to resolve any questions or differences.
If you owe a debt for Arkansas income tax, your federal refund may be captured to satisfy this state debt.
